New Mode - First shots with my D50

RMThompson · Apr 29, 2007

I worked with a model I found on www.modelmayhem.com today! I also used my D50 for the first time for a "pro" shoot, and it went great.

The 50mm 1.8 lens is freaking amazing, even if I need to back up like you wouldn't believe.

Anyway C&C would be grrrrreat!

www.rmtimages.com/joanna <- MORE HERE

C&C PLEEEEEEEASE!

oldnavy170 · Apr 29, 2007

I checked out that site you posted. Are they only nude models? Just curious because thats about all I seen.

My favorite shot is the one with her and the red dress.

RMThompson · Apr 29, 2007

No there are all kinds of models, in fact tons of girls say no nudes.

RMThompson · Apr 29, 2007

And that's not a dress... its just red material!

oCyrus55 · Apr 29, 2007

I like the 4th one, you got some good color. The thing I don't like though is that a lot of the photos were taken in direct sunlight or harsh lighting, which is not really that flattering. I would try to avoid that harsh light.

I'm a member on ModelMayhem aswell. There are a lot of people who do nudes, but there are a lot who don't. So far I am glad that I joined MM.

Thompson, send me a friend request. Search for "Sean Lojek"

RMThompson · Apr 29, 2007

Sean, Ill look for you!!!!

However, take a look at the website: www.rmtimages.com/joanna , not all of them had that harsh lighting.

oCyrus55 · Apr 29, 2007

Yeh, I definitely like some of the ones you have on the site better than some of the ones you posted

RMThompson · Apr 30, 2007

Which do you like on the site better, so I can add them to the flickr... I want my BEST work on the flickr site, since that is where I send some of my clients.

Anyone else:

www.rmtimages.com/joanna

(LINK NOT SAFE FOR WORK)

EOS_JD · Apr 30, 2007

Ryan
A few comments.

No1 - Harsh lighting, hair over the face and the central composition don't work for me.

No2 - Might be better as a B&W. Not sure I like the crop? Something just not right and I can't put my finger on it.

No3 - Nice smile and she is a stunning girl however the central composition again doesn't work.

No4 - I like the pose but the subject is just too close to the top (her head) and bottom (her finger). I like to see just a little room.

No5 - Again the harsh lighting is the dominant feature here and it looks a little over processed.

No6 - Ii like the pose on this one however that hard shadow under the chin detracts from it. The light was just too strong I think. In the shade with a reflector to direct the light would have made a big difference.

No7 - you know what I'm going to say

Nice but harsh light again detracts.

No8 - Isn't too bad however there's no detail in the hair and the shadow along her chin is not flattering.

No9 - the subject needs to be separated from the backdrop. Her dark hair just blends in.

No10 - I won't repeat myself but you know what I'd say. She looks a little uncomfortable.

N011 - Not keen on this. Not enough light on the backdrop and harsh shadows.

No12 - Like the red material although it does look a little oversaturated. The image shows her as a beautiful woman however you need some sort of hair light to provide separation from the backdrop.

No13 - I actually quite like this one

however i'd have liked it if she was more engaged with her subject (the guitar).

No14 - The shadow on her leg detracts and the central composition doesn't work for me.

Sorry I seem to have not commented well on these.

Regards
Jim

No14 -

RMThompson · Apr 30, 2007

Jim, seems you didn't like a single one! LOL

Any better ones here: www.rmtimages.com/joanna ?

EOS_JD · Apr 30, 2007

Ryan
I know I was tough but I was trying to get you to see what I see as wrong with the images. Others may disagree but from getting a lot of critique myself I've started to see more of what is looked for in an image. There's a few that I like on the web site but 119 is a lot to l,ook at!

I like the red image above. Really nice but do you see what I mean about no separation from the background? Same with the one with the guitar......

Without going over all 119 images here's a few comments....

Best not to shoot in bright sunlight. Find shade and use a reflector or use fill flash.

Watch your histogram. Clipped highlights and shadows are bad. As are gaps left and/or right.

Look at the images by the tree.... Some of these show under exposure (gap on the right).

Back lighting is causing the face in a few to become underexposed. You need to add some exposure comp when dealing with this or again use flash or a reflector to put some light into the subjects face.

Some of the B&W conversions lack contrast.

Your black background images are nice (apart from the separation issue - a hair light would sort this) but the shadows on the white backgrounds bother me.

Please note I'm not saying they are all bad. I think they could mostly be improved but just things to watch out for.

Hope you see what I say and again, a beautiful girl...... I'm jealous!

Cheers
Jim

RMThompson · May 2, 2007

anyone else?

NJMAN · May 2, 2007

I agree with just about everything JD says. Good analysis. Paying attention to small details like that sets you apart from the average and amateur photographer. Although I am curious about what JD said about "clipped highlights and shadows" in the histogram.

Clipped highlights and shadows are bad. As are gaps left and/or right.

JD, can you do a screen shot of that in PS and show me what you are talking about when highlights and shadows are clipped?

EOS_JD · May 2, 2007

NJMAN said:
I agree with just about everything JD says. Good analysis. Paying attention to small details like that sets you apart from the average and amateur photographer. Although I am curious about what JD said about "clipped highlights and shadows" in the histogram.

JD, can you do a screen shot of that in PS and show me what you are talking about when highlights and shadows are clipped?

A histogram shows the distribution of tones in an image - from shadows on the left to highlights on the right. The data should generally be contained within these outer extremities or you will be clipping one or both of the shadows/highlights (pure black pixels or pure white pixels with no detail).

Much information can be gleaned from the histogram.

In this first image, the image has too much contrast. The darkest shadows are black with no detail and the highluights are too bright with no detail. Just too much contrast.

In this second image (I hope Ryan doesn't mind me using one of his web based images (I've not edited either at all), you can see that there is very low contrast in the image. THere's no highlight information at all.

White pixels on the right are non existent and the first "light" tones are actually mid tones. Using levels in Photoshop can quickly add some contrast back into that image. Likewise an image without dark tones may also look as if there's a lack of contrast (eg an over exposed image). The above image is under exposed although this may be what the photographer wanted?

Hope that explains what I was getting at?

Regards
Jim